Xut: The Animatronic Penguin #EdgeBadge #CircuitPython @E14Community
fmilburn writes on the Element14 Community blog about Xut, the animatronic penguin.
The design and fabrication of the penguin body and the mechanics of the motorized wings were described in detail in the first post. Briefly, the body was freehand sketched and roughly dimensioned. It was then modeled and tweaked in Fusion 360 and printed in PLA on an Anycubic I3 Mega 3D printer. The mechanical modifications since that time are limited to minor aesthetic modifications to the wings and the addition of a speaker inside the body. Hot glue and cyanoacrylate adhesive (superglue) was used to secure everything.
An Adafruit EdgeBadge was also wired securely to the motors and speakers.
As for software:
The script uses a CircuitPython PyBadge Conference Badge example as an outline and can be found here. In addition, Adafruit libraries for motors and audio have been added so that the wings can flap and Xut can talk. The buttons on the EdgeBadge are used to select the jokes. The EdgeBadge also advertises Xut’s presence when he isn’t telling a joke by flashing the LEDs in a pattern and displaying his name and instructions.
Adafruit publishes a wide range of writing and video content, including interviews and reporting on the maker market and the wider technology world. Our standards page is intended as a guide to best practices that Adafruit uses, as well as an outline of the ethical standards Adafruit aspires to. While Adafruit is not an independent journalistic institution, Adafruit strives to be a fair, informative, and positive voice within the community – check it out here: adafruit.com/editorialstandards
Stop breadboarding and soldering – start making immediately! Adafruit’s Circuit Playground is jam-packed with LEDs, sensors, buttons, alligator clip pads and more. Build projects with Circuit Playground in a few minutes with the drag-and-drop MakeCode programming site, learn computer science using the CS Discoveries class on code.org, jump into CircuitPython to learn Python and hardware together, TinyGO, or even use the Arduino IDE. Circuit Playground Express is the newest and best Circuit Playground board, with support for CircuitPython, MakeCode, and Arduino. It has a powerful processor, 10 NeoPixels, mini speaker, InfraRed receive and transmit, two buttons, a switch, 14 alligator clip pads, and lots of sensors: capacitive touch, IR proximity, temperature, light, motion and sound. A whole wide world of electronics and coding is waiting for you, and it fits in the palm of your hand.
Have an amazing project to share? The Electronics Show and Tell is every Wednesday at 7:30pm ET! To join, head over to YouTube and check out the show’s live chat and our Discord!
Python for Microcontrollers – Adafruit Daily — Python on Microcontrollers Newsletter: Diving into the Raspberry Pi RP2350, Python Survey Results and more! #CircuitPython #Python #micropython @ThePSF @Raspberry_Pi
EYE on NPI – Adafruit Daily — EYE on NPI Maxim’s Himalaya uSLIC Step-Down Power Module #EyeOnNPI @maximintegrated @digikey
